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Predation by Snakes Thwarts Trial Reintroduction of the Endangered Woma Python Aspidites Ramsayi J

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Predation by Snakes Thwarts Trial Reintroduction of the Endangered Woma Python Aspidites Ramsayi J Predation by snakes thwarts trial reintroduction of the Endangered woma python Aspidites ramsayi J. L. Read,G.R.Johnston and T. P. Morley Abstract Case studies of well-documented snake reintro- species (Dodd, 1987, 1993; Reinert, 1991) has hindered the ductions are limited, despite their potential value for implementation of snake reintroductions. conservation and ecosystem recovery. The Endangered Experimental evidence suggests that translocated snakes woma Aspidites ramsayi is a large boid snake that has move further, more erratically and exhibit lower survivor- declined considerably and is now threatened throughout ship than resident snakes (Fitch & Shirer, 1971; Landreth, much of central Australia. We describe a trial release of 1973; Galligan & Dunson, 1979; Reinert & Rupert, 1999; captive-bred womas into the feral predator-free Arid Re- Plummer & Mills, 2000; Butler et al., 2005). Behavioural covery Reserve in northern South Australia. All of the changes that decrease survivorship of translocated snakes reintroduced womas were killed within 4 months, with are accentuated for captive-bred individuals that may be predation by the mulga snake Pseudechis australis con- less efficient at feeding or locating suitable refuges than firmed or implied in all cases. Lessons learned for the wild-caught relocated animals (Plummer & Mills, 2000; conditioning of captive-bred snakes for wild release and Mathews et al., 2005). Reintroduction success of captive- the role of the mulga snake in structuring Australian arid- bred snakes is therefore likely to be enhanced where prey zone snake assemblages are discussed. populations are high, snake movements are contained, refuge sites from predators are plentiful and temperature Keywords Arid zone, Aspidites ramsayi, Australia, elapid, extremes are limited. predation, python, reintroduction, woma The woma Aspidites ramsayi is an Australian boid snake that is thought to have declined because of habitat clearing in mesic environments and predation by feral domestic cats Introduction Felis catus and foxes Vulpes vulpes (Wilson & Knowles, 1988; Pearson, 1993; Maryan, 2002). Although aborigines eintroductions are widely recognized as integral to also hunt womas (Baker et al., 1993; Read, 2003) there is no many species’ conservation and ecosystem recovery R evidence that this hunting has contributed to their decline. initiatives (Fischer & Lindenmayer, 2000; Seddon et al., Predation by cats and foxes in concert with other factors 2007), despite most efforts failing to establish viable has been implicated in driving many of the native mam- populations (Griffith et al., 1989; Dodd & Seigel, 1991;Beck malian prey species of womas to extinction or serious et al., 1994; Wolf et al., 1996). Despite playing an important decline in the Australian arid zone (Johnson, 2006; role as predators in many environments and improved McKenzie et al., 2007) and hence may represent both success rates for recent reintroductions (Germano & a direct and indirect threat to woma populations. Predation Bishop, 2009), snake reintroductions are underrepresented by dingoes Canis lupus dingo, or dogs Canis lupus familiaris in conservation management (Seddon et al., 2005). This has been significant for other arid-zone pythons (Heard paucity of snake reintroductions may be attributed to the et al., 2004) and hence could be a factor. The long-term low public interest in reptile conservation relative to birds viability of conservation programmes in degraded environ- and mammals. Furthermore, although comprehensive nat- ments is compromised by re-establishment of a single ural history or conservation status information has been threatened species in comparison to the recreation of more integral to the success of two well-documented snake sustainable functioning ecosystems in which populations reintroductions (Tolson & Garcia, 1997; Daltry et al., of reintroduced species are both enhanced and limited 2001) the lack of such information for many snake by biological factors (Seddon et al., 2007; Armstrong & Seddon, 2008). Optimal conservation management and reintroduction sites for the woma should therefore experi- J.L. READ (Corresponding author) Arid Recovery, G.P.O. Box 150, Roxby Downs, South Australia 5725, Australia, and School of Earth and Environ- ence nil or low cat, fox and dog predation and support as mental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. many of the natural potential prey species and ecosystem E-mail [email protected] drivers as possible. G.R. JOHNSTON School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, and Zoos South Australia, Here we describe an experimental reintroduction of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia captive-bred womas. Because the only available release T.P. MORLEY Zoos South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia animals were siblings, this reintroduction was considered Received 19 April 2010. Revision requested 17 June 2010. a trial of the appropriateness of habitats, food availability, Accepted 7 July 2010. First published online 31 August 2011. predator density and use of captive-bred pythons, rather ª 2011 Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 45(4), 505–512 doi:10.1017/S0030605310001110 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.35.93, on 27 Sep 2021 at 21:38:58, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605310001110 506 J. L. Read et al. than a genetically-robust reintroduction. Womas were ecosystem recovery and reintroductions to the Reserve. released at a South Australian arid-zone site where in- Recovery of mammal populations at the Arid Recovery troduced predators had been excluded and the native Reserve has occurred through natural increases following mammal fauna, including four successfully reintroduced removal of introduced mammals (Moseby et al., 2009), and species (greater stick-nest rat Leporillus conditor, burrow- the successful reintroduction of locally extinct mammal ing bettong Bettongia lesueur, greater bilby Macrotis lagotis species, including the bilby and another medium-sized and western barred bandicoot Parameles bougainville) had burrowing species, the burrowing bettong (Read et al., made some recovery. 2008). In addition to developing a reintroduction protocol to improve the conservation status of womas, introduction Methods of a native predator is an appropriate management initia- tive to limit burgeoning mammal populations within the The woma python Arid Recovery Reserve and to assist with the restoration of sustainable ecosystem processes. The woma is a large (# 3.0 m) terrestrial python endemic to arid and semi-arid Australia. Womas are primarily Origin of the stock and captive husbandry nocturnal although they may occasionally be active by day (Fyfe & Harvey, 1981; Maryan, 2002), and they have Ten captive-bred sibling womas derived from wild stock a catholic diet that includes rodents, bandicoots, other obtained close to the release site were chosen for the trial snakes, a variety of lizards, and birds (Fyfe & Harvey, 1981; reintroduction. We considered regional provenance to be Shine & Slip, 1990; Tyler et al., 1990; Covacevich & Couper, important because the woma exhibits considerable geo- 1996). Historically, womas made extensive use of bilby graphical variation in morphology (Morley, 1999). The holes for shelter, and probably preyed on bilbies, resulting dam and sire were donated to Adelaide Zoo from the in the colloquial name bilby snake (Covacevich & Couper, Moomba area (28°0609 S, 140°119 E) and a road north of 1996). Following the reduction of native Australian burrow- the Flinders Ranges, respectively. The sire was placed in the ing mammals (Johnson, 2006) womas are known to same enclosure as the dam at Adelaide Zoo on 12 April 2002 have utilized warrens of introduced rabbits Oryctolagus and mating was observed on 27 April 2002. Eighteen eggs cuniculus (GRJ & JLR, unpubl. data). Despite this adapta- were laid on 3 October 2002. Thirteen of the eggs hatched tion, woma abundance and distribution have declined to successfully but three of the resulting neonates subsequently the extent that, notwithstanding the IUCN Red List died. Neonates weighed 16.6–52.3 g (mean 40.4 – SE 12.0 g) categorization of the species as Endangered (Australasian and total lengths were 381–465 mm (mean 414 – SE 37 mm). Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group, 1996), it is The captive husbandry practices for womas at Adelaide Zoo categorized as Critically Endangered in southern Western have been described in detail by Morley (1999). Individual Australia (Cogger et al., 1993; Maryan, 2002), and Endan- womas were identified using microchips (Trovan, Douglas, gered or Vulnerable elsewhere in its range (Hutchinson, UK) placed under the skin on the left-hand side, just anterior 1992; Sadlier, 1994; Covacevich & Couper, 1996). to the cloaca. Miniature radio-transmitters (SI-2, Holohil, Canada) 3 5 The release site were surgically implanted into the gut cavity on – April 2007. Surgical implantation of transmitters typically does 2 The Arid Recovery Reserve is a 60 km fenced exclosure in not affect the health or behaviour of snakes (Slip & Shine, northern South Australia (30°299 S, 136°539 E) from which 1988; Madsen & Shine, 1996; Heard et al., 2004). Each all rabbits, cats and foxes have been removed (Moseby & transmitter weighed 11 g, was 40 3 11 mm with a 200 mm Read, 2006). Main habitats
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